Emergency supplies of drinking water require planning to meet maximum demand during an emergency. As the world enters the tropical storm season and faces other serious emergencies that may affect the drinking water supply, federal, state and local government agencies need to plan ahead to meet peak demand.

All of Society is Affected
When disaster strikes it affects everyone. Federal, state and local relief agencies are called upon to provide assistance to the community ands top of their supplies list is drinking water. In addition these agencies also require s supplies of pure drinking water for their own staffs to function properly. This includes fire, police, national guard, public utility personnel, hospitals and every individual requiring fresh, pure drinking water.

Advanced Planning is Critical
In the face of a disaster immediate demands are made upon the existing municipal water supplies and traditional water suppliers are unable to supply fresh drinkable water. This includes not only municipal water providers but all bottled water suppliers who exceed their production capacity during normal times.
During an emergency, municipal water is in short supply and often polluted and in past emergencies, traditional bottled water suppliers have often failed to meet the heavy drinking water demands of an emergency.
Everyone affected by a disaster needs to plan for emergency water supplies and advanced planning before a disaster is critical.
 
Emergency Capacity of Bottled Water Suppliers
Those agencies that are affected most by disasters need to identify bottled water suppliers with capacity that can be allocated in an emergency. Attempting to producer supplies from a bottled water suppler that is at capacity or draws water from a spring that may itself become polluted during a disaster may result in a shortage when pure water is required most.
There are suppliers, however with excess capacity in the marketplace and these should be identified before a disaster strikes.

Proper Storage is Important
Many federal, state and local agencies are required to maintain emergency supplies of pure drinking water but, depending on the source off the water, these supplies may have a limited life. Spring water contains contaminants from their source springs that may reduce the shelf life of stored water as minerals in the water interact with the plastic in PET packaging.
Purified water, that has all contaminants removed by a distillation/oxygenation process does not interact with PET packaging and has an unlimited shelf life if stored properly.

Choose a Reliable Supplier in Advance
As part of a well thought out emergency plan, emergency planners should consider a reliable bottled water supplier with the capacity to meet peak demand and provide water with a long shelf life.
Planning for a disaster will help reduce the impact and increase your chances of survival.

Jon M. Stout is Chairman of the Board of Element H2O. For more information about bottled water, private label bottled water and bottled water delivery go to www.elementh2o.com

About the Author
Jon M. Stout is Chairman of the Board of Element H2O. For more information about bottled water, private label bottled water and bottled water delivery go to www.elementh2o.com